Action not reflection needed

As civil servants faced the UN Committee on the Rights of Disabled People and faced criticism, the Government have pledged to reflect on its failure to engage with disabled people and their organisations.  It is nowhere near enough, and lack of engagement is not the only serious failing

After tens of thousands of deaths, and many more disabled and vulnerable people seriously harmed urgent action is needed to stop further welfare related deaths.

The Govenment has a record of hiding death rates and other information that hides the truth of the dangers of this regime. It is currently pursuing court action to hide a Work Capability Assessment outcome report in order to protect commercisl.inrerests. Those who facilitate this regime should not be protected, those subject to the risks of it must be.

Many of those subject to the punitive regime had genuine reasons for not complying. Some were in hospital seriously ill, even close to death, or they had already died before being sanctioned. Some had appointments cancelled or rearranged by contractors but still face sanctions for not attending the original assessment. Othera had genuine disability related reasons such as mental health that affected their ability to comply, not being able to read letters, or not being able to access assistance with claims. This is meant to allowed for instead many were sactioned. Not having money to pay rent or buy food puts people at serious risk. Many have lost their homes or been malnourished, some starved to death.

A court decison found those needing assistance because of psychological distress should qualify for PIP, or get increased payments. The government response was to change criteria to exclude those claiments from PIP. Other such changes have been made when Government decided too many people qualified under equipment provisions.

Many Government policies involving cuts  have been aimed at disabled and vulnerable people and despite many demands the Govern refused to carry out a culmative risk assessment.

There were concerns about the effects of the WCA expressed, and known to the Government they were ignored, many claimaints paid the ultimate price.

David Gauke, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, lied in parliament only recently that PIP appeals were low, on the day they reached record levels. Around 2/3 are successful. They clearly want to hide the fact the system is failing, and more so that challenges to it are mainly successful.

The time for reflection is over, there must be speedy and definite action to correct a system that causes serious harm to those it is designed to support. The welfare system itself is not fit for work. This must stop, there must be no more deaths.

Source Disability News Service